Happy Treadler

I sure hope you can follow me on this.

A new friend on the Board here was kind enough to send the cutest wallhanging pattern to me, but I'm having some trouble understanding it. The directions said to cut four 4 1/2" squares out of 4 different fabrics. Then it says to match the four 4 1/2" background squares together with them. This is clear to me. Now is when it gets hairy. "On each set mark a 1 7/8-inch square. (see diagram)". The diagram shows a 1 7/8" square marked on top of the 4 1/2" square (centered in the middle), I'm guessing it's marked, then the regular half-triangle procedure marking the square corner-to-corner & sewing 1/4" from the line on each side, cutting the square in half to make two squares again (each half a different fabric). "After sewing & cutting are complete, press seam allowances toward Fabric A. You will have made a total of eight 1 1/2" triangle sets."

DUMB question, but why do you think it said to cut the original squares at 4 1/2" when you end up with the new triangles being only 1 1/2"?? Am I thinking incorrectly or something?

Sadiemae

Can you pm the person who sent you the pattern.?

purplemem

Can you scan the pattern instructions so we can see? Does it have any pictures?

Happy Treadler

Here's a copy of the page I'm questioning. Just doesn't make sense to me to cut a 4" square down to 1 1/2". Huh?

Aileend

can you post a pic of the pattern its self, it makes no sense to me either, lol, unless they are making flying geese, where you place a larger one on a small one and sew twice, but this is confusing, if you send a pic maybe we could find a differant way of sewing it too! sew many ways and sew little time

Happy Treadler

Updated a picture of the pattern itself. Step 1 says to sew a 1 1/2" square to the 1 1/2" triangle sets, so I'm GUESSING I'm just to waste that materials when I make them??

ckcowl

you can put two of your smaller squares diagonally on the 4 1/2" squares and make 4 (1/2 square triangle blocks) at once instead of only 2...just a way to speed it up a bit. :thumbup:
i dont know why they would start with the square in the center, seems like a lot of waste, unless what you cut off is used somewhere else? i would contact the person who designed the pattern (through a pm-private message) and ask for some clairification

Happy Treadler

Thanks. Also what I thought, but I already have everything cut out. Seems silly to me. I could see making it a little bigger as a 'buffer', but that's a big buffer!

gaigai

You don't cut anything down or waste anything. You are simply making quick HST's from the squares, and if you do the math, the 4 1/2 inch is the sum of the two final HST's. I'm not sure why they have you draw the 1 7/8 inch square. It is a totally unnecessary step. Just draw the diagonal line, sew 1/4 inch on either side then cut in half on the drawn line.

Happy Treadler

That's what I thought, but the pattern says you end up with 1 1/2" triangle units.